A Pet Rock?
by shirkamisamyogai
Summary: It all started when his watch broke. Mason's wizarding manual is not a book. The Powers are keeping his rating level a secret. Why? And how come he now has a pet... rock? I don't own the Young Wizards storyworld-Diane Duane holds that honor. I only hope to share my fantasies with others. I make no profit from the writing of this story. Well, perhaps sharing smiles. :D
1. Chapter 1

Mason determined at a very young age that he would become a spy when he got older. As a kid, he was exceptionally smart and had skipped a couple of grades. Now, at thirteen, he'd graduated and was headed, not into a community college, but a full university—he'd already gathered some college credits in high school.

As he stepped out of his nondescript white avalon, he grabbed his computer and notebook and headed into his dorm room. It was hard, being a young kid living among the older adults, but he'd finally made a friend out of his roommate, a sensible mathematician and computer geek.

Raven had played a major role in influencing Mason's choice to study computer security as well as just physical field-work. It made sense that when he was no longer able to go running around chasing after bad guys to have another talent that would make him useful. Besides, Mason realized that he'd have to use technology if he were to be good. And he wanted to be really good at what he did.

As it was, Mason was beginning to learn just how much he still needed to learn. So he immersed himself in his studies both in text books and online learning tools. He and his roommate became a team, helping each other learn new things, ideas, and perspectives. And though he was still ostracized, he found it bearable to keep his grades up and still have a life or as much life as a fifteen-year-old could have, anyway.

It was today, as he headed into his dorm, that he realized it was his sixteenth birthday. Mason shook his head as he laid his computer on the table and opened his notebook. Raven would be there soon enough when his class was over and maybe they'd grab a bite to eat. Looking at his watch, Mason was about to set the timer for an hour's worth of studying. But as he watched, all the numbers turned to eights, and then disappeared.

Frowning, Mason took out the battery and set it on a battery detector. There was still three-quarter's worth of life in the battery. Shrugging, Mason considered that as he got the watch at the age of eight from his father, eight years was a few more than he'd expected it to last. Mason shook his head and went to the microwave to set the timer, and made a mental note to grab another watch later.

Raven came in the door an hour and a half later and set down the two thick books his computer class called for. The noise made Mason wake up from his nap. Looking sheepish, he grinned at his roommate and stretched.

Well look what we have here, Raven said playfully, a sleeping child. He shook his head. What am I going to do with you when you fall asleep on me?

Mason had learned long ago not to take offense when his roommate called him child . But he was mad at himself that he'd fallen asleep. You know how it is, he teased back, when you get all late on me. I get tired. He stood up to punch Raven on the arm then looked at his watch. Seeing the blank face, he moaned and looked at the microwave. I've only been asleep for twenty-seven minutes. If my watch worked, I'd be able to tell you how many seconds.

Shaking his head, Raven asked, What happened to it? At Mason's answer, It got too old. , he chuckled. Come on and let's get you a new watch my treat.

The younger boy looked at his friend. But... Raven held up a hand to stop the objections. No buts. It's your birthday and this is my present to you. I was going to buy you dinner, but it looks like you'll have to pay for yourself. He winked and Mason chuckled. Come on.

They walked outside and as Mason headed to his car, Raven asked, Where do you think you're going? Mason gave him an are-you-dumb look and said, to my car. Where does it look like I'm going?

Raven smiled and shook his head. Not with the gas prices the way they are. Besides, you don't even know where we're headed.

Frowning, Mason went to Raven's car. He had assumed they were going to the mall where there was that nice watch shop and that even better diner. After buckling up, the younger teen noticed his roommate snap a device into the console panel. Mason wyed the thing. It appeared to be exactly one half of one of those new iPads, except even the border was a touch-screen. "What is that thing," he asked his tech-savvy friend.

Raven, who had put his car into gesr and was already driving, glanced down at the thing that currently displayed a navigator's map. "What-that?" At Mason's nod, Raven grinned. "I call that thing my All-In-One. It's saved my life quite a few times." He muttered, "And the world, too," but Mason heard him and laughed.

Before either of them could think of things to say to start a banter with, Raven had pulled up to a brick building. 'Emil's Baze Craze' was written on a sign above the door. The only window was tinted a dark black. Mason cocked his head, thinking that the building looked to be someone's home.

It took a moment for Mason to realize he was supposed to get out and follow Raven, who had just knocked on the door. He quickly caught up with the older boy. Said older boy had stooped to "tie his shoe," mumbling under his breath in such an odd accent that Mason couldn't make out what he was saying. 'What the heck,' thought Mason to himself, but he wasn't going to tell his one good friend that it was crazy to be talking to objects. 'Oh, well... I'll

just file that away that thout for later.

When the door opened, it was to a view of a high-tech... store... that was such a contrast to the brick home-like facade. Mason had to glance at the front of the building before going in, just to make sure he wasn't imagining things.

"Hey, Emile, Emily. This is Mason. Mason, meet the Twins. How's it hanging?"

A bit taken aback, Mason shook each of their hands in turn. Since when did his almost-uptight, sensible, gramatically-correct friend use slang? "It's nice to meet you both," he said before taking a look around. The place *was* a store, with items categorically grouped. But it had a very wide rang of products. There was anywhere between technical stuff; rennaissance items; board games; appliances that were old-fashioned, modern, and futuristic; furniture; sculptures, paintings, books; hardware, and more. Mason could have sworn that the building was small. However, each step took him further sand impossibly further in.

"Yo, Mace, get yourself over here!"

"My name is Mason," he called out irritably, for he could have spent all day just looking at everything. As he rejoined the other three, he heard Emily say, "Timepeices are this way." About to ask why she called them 'timepeices', he turneda corner, and the reason was apparant. Clocks of every form and any way you wanted them lined shelves along both sides of the aisle that extended seemingly forever in the direction in front of him.

Smirking, Raven placed his hand on Mason's shoulder. "Pick out any one you want, and take your time-we have all day.

Emile added, "Feel free to pick things up and handle them. Nothing here's going to bite you, unlesshou want it to." 'Heck, no,' thought Mason. Enile continued, rolling a cart Mason's way, "You can put the ones that interest you onto here, for comparison."

The three of them withdrew to talk while Mason's eyes roved the shelves, taking everything in. There were a few cool gadgets, some neat timepeices, and weird-looking watches with colored lights in different patterns-even binary watches. Most of them were cool, and he put them on the rolling cart for a later look-and-narrowing-down of the choices. Wrist watches were his majority considering factor, but there were pocket watches that he was looking at as well.

But the thought of any other watch flew from his mind the moment he laid eyes on a spy set. Mason whistled. It had an advanced watch, sweet shades with built in buttons on both sides, an ear piece that had an attached mouth piece that extended, a working pen with a laser and light combo, a notepad, and a few other things. Mason picked up the box. It was heavy, and everything was, without a doubt, state-of-the-art quality.

With great reluctance, Mason made himself put the box back on the shelf. The spy set must cost a fortune. There were a few other spy sets, but nothing so great as that first one.

Remembering that Raven had taken him to get a new watch, Mason shook his head and looked further along the aisle. What was left were grandfather clocks, cookoo clocks, wall clocks, alarm clocks, standing clock, and other big clocks that weren't for personal portability.

Shrugging, Mason headed back to the beginning of the row so he could put back the watches as he narrowed down the pile. As if thinking about his friend summoned him over, Raven came up beside Mason. By this time, he'd already put three or four watches back, and jumped as he felt his roommate's hand on his shoulder.

"What's this," asked Raven, picking up a rather-larger-than-a-watch object from the bottom of the cart.

Mason turned to his friend who held up *that thing*. Some noise came out of his throat as he turned back to sorting the watches. Red was his favorite color, so the glow in the dark sports watch with timer and stop watch appealed to him-and it was water-proof. It might go against him, however, when he applied for a job in few years, as some employers were picky about what applicants wore to interviews. The sterling silver might be more appropriate, but it looked like it might cost pretty penny.

"I think you should get this." Raven's voice cut into Mason's mental chatter. At first, the younger boy thought his friend was talking about the silver watch, until he heard, "it's perfect. I mean, you want to get into the business, and this has just the tools you would need to use as a spy. Well, not all, of course, but it'll get you started.

'No way,' Mason thought once again. "Really," he asked, trying not to get his hopes up or let his emotions show in his voice.

"Yeah. Come on," Raven said, leading the wayback to the beginning of the store. After briskly speaking to Emile and Emily in that language that Mason could almost, but not quite, understand, Raven grinned and told Mason, "Why don't you go out and wait for me in the car?" Mason pouted, figuring that Raven didn't want him to know the cost of the spy set, but did as he was told.

It took quite a few minutes for Raven to come out of the building, the box unwrapped beneath his arm. In the meantime, Mason lightly touched the face os his roommate's 'all in one' gadget. "Unauthorized entry," he heard a mechanical, robotic voice speak out. "Fascinating." Mason was going to ask Raven how it worked , and where he could get one.

"Finally," Mason exclaimed, rolling his eyes when Raven got inthe car. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to bein there all day." Mason waggled his eyebrows at his friend.

"Hey," Raven quipped back, "I told you I had all day."

"Well, I don't," Mason pretended to sulk. "I'm hungry." Just then, his belly growled. "See? my belly agrees with me!"

"Hmm. What are you in the mood for, Mason?"

"I could eat anything." Seeing the look on Raven's face, Mason said, "Maybe not *anything,* exactly." The younger boy thought about what he wanted. "I'm in the mood for chinese."

"Again," Raven teased, then at Mason's sheepish look, continued, "I was only joking! Oh, by the way, the Twins said the spy set wasn't in their inventory. Someone paid it to them for someother item. I do enough business with themthat they let me take it." While that wasn't exactly the whole story, but it *was* the truth. And as a wizard, Raven knew the power words had, so he didn' lie. "That being said," Raven handed the spy set to his roommate, " I'll be paying for dinner.

Obviously, Mason was stunned. "But won't they get in trouble?"

"Nope, Raven replied. "They own the place. It's kind of like a family business."

Masondidn't miss the phrase 'kind of.' "They're not... Mafia, are they?" .he so did not want to get in trouble if the set's RFID tag was being tracked, and the FBI blew down his door or something.

Raven burst out laughing. "Uh, no. They're good guys and are on the right side of the law."

"Good." Mason breathed out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Then something ocurred to him. "Um, Raven? Were you watching me look at all the watches and timepeices?"

"Yes," Raven said, grinning. "You were cute."

"Thanks, I think." Mason wasn't sure of that was a compliment or not, but he let it gi, for now. "Umm," Mason began, "I feel bad that you went back and got it after i was done looking at it."

*Hunh?* "I didn't," was all Raven could think to say.

"I could have sworn i put it back," muttered Mason. The boy looked so confused.

Parked in the lot of a high-end chinese restaurant, Raven turned to look at the spy set in Mason's lap. Well, more like, clutched to Mason's chest. If what he was thinking were correct, it would definitely make sense. the set seemed to give off some tangible aura, as if it were more aware than other objects. He'd have to check in a day or two.

Mason must have seen Raven staring at his prize, because he said, "It's not like I'm not gratedul, because I am. I just wanted this so much-had to have it, really-that i didn't want to be disappointed if you wouldn't get it for me. It's really expensive. Did you knoow it's made by the Wardens? I was going to look this up online, and see how much they wanted for this Ultiute."

"Well, now you don't have to worry about this one slipping through your fingers. Come on, let's get us some chow."

Mason reached into the back and dumped his school stuff out of his bookbag, then stuffed the box in. It fit, barely. "Coming," he told his friend.

Raven shook his head. If that wasn't a manual, he'd eat a sheet of paper. Thinking back to when he got his, in the form of a car navigator, Raven realized he acted much the same way. Luckally, Nita's sister's manual, which was a more-or-less-sentient personal computer, paved the way for acceptance of different forms of wizarding manuals than just paper books.


	2. Chapter 2

All in all, the dinner was great. Mason had the buffet because he could have anything, and as much as he wanted. Raven had egg soup,

beef and broccoli, and orange chicken.

When the bill came, Raven took it, and after writing a tip, put his creditcard in the billfold. The waitress came back, and Raven

spoke to her in chinese before she went off to process the bill. Mason was shocked that his friend and roommate knew chinese, and

decided to start learning languages himself.

The waitress returned, giving Raven back his card, as well as the receipt. She surprised Mason by holding a platter of fortune cookies

and telling him to take two. Usually, he and Raven were just given them. In a show of ceremony and formality, after briefly looking at

Raven, Mason closed his eyes and placed his hands over the platter to pick up a fortune cookie with each hand.

Impressed, or amused-whichever the case may be-the woman smiled and let Raven chiose his own fortune cookie as well. Usually, the

waitress liked to watch people open their cookies and reveal their fortunes, but she knew that these two boys had made it a habit to

open theirs at home. Just about every chinese restaurant in the area knew that. So, shaking her head, she left them to their routine.

They didn't really talk on the drive home, and that was okay. The silence was a companionable one. Raven knew that Mason was stuffed

from dinner, And Mason knew that at night his friend always thought about the day, and planned for the morrow.

First thing when hr got home, Mason pulled the spy set from his bookbag and asked if he could open it. Raven smirked and shook his

head, pointing to the fortune cokirs, "Not until we open those."

"Aww," said Mason, but he went wnd wat on the couch, bringing his present, of course. He waited until Raven sat down, too. At his

friend's gesture, Mason unwrapped each cookie, then broke them both open, pulled out the strips, making sure the blank side stayed up.

As Raven opened his own cookie, Mason started eating the peices.

"You go first with one of yours, I'll read mine, then you read the second," Raven instructed.

"All right," Mason grinned, turning one strip over. "You will become a force to be reckoned with," he read.

"Ooh, scarey," Raven quipped.

Mason blew a raspberry at his friend. "I thought I already was."

At that, Raven laughed, then flipped his slip of paper over. "That which you have thought will come to pass." He laughed. "That would

be cool."

"What would," asked Mason. But Raven gestured for him to read his other fortune. "Evil will fear you." Mason cocked his head,

thinking, then said, "I'm definitely becoming a spy!"

*That's not the only thing,* thought Raven. "Now you may open your gift," he told the younger boy who in turn squealed and shouted,

"yay!" Raven shook his head, laughing as he watched.

Despite his exhuberence, Mason carefully opened the box. He didn't want to damage anything. But he needn't have worried, cor he pulled

out a steel case with black leather covering the outside, ans supposedlr the inside, too. Steel corners gleamed, as well as the steel

combination locks, and the links connecting the leather-encased handle to the case. It was beautiful.

Raven didn't think the combination would be 000 on either of the locks, even as Mason tried it. From the way Mason nodded, Raven knew

that Mason had had the same thought. The older boy pulled the boxover to him and starterd to read, to see ifthere was anything about

the combination locks. There wasn't anything on the outside or inside about how to open it.

Not that it mattered, for Mason had put his ear to the locks to listen, and had gotten them unlocked. The one on the left was 404, and

the right was 747. *Interesting,* thought Mason. *It couldn't find the file on the plane.* He chuckled as he opened the case.

The older boy wanted to see what the case contained. It wasm't just because he was curious, but it was also because Raven could

feel... an energy eminating from it. Almost as if it were, somehow, alive.

Mason grinned and looked at the spy set peices nestled into place, indents in the foam to show where each peice belonged. He wasn't

sure which to pick first, then decided on the watch, as that was the reason why Raven yook him out in the first place. The watch

itself was disassembled. Two bands lay on one side, a black one, and a silver one. On the other side of the watch face itself were

several different covers, with a few different styles to each color. Mason used the black band and red face cover to go with the watch

face that had taken on a gold tone. It was perfect.

After seeing the individual peices, Mason's roommate stood up and stretched. "Hey, I'm going to get some reading in, all right?"

Again, he had that device he called his all-in-one. It seemed to Mason that his friend never put it down.

"Sure," Mason said, waving him off. "I'm just going to get to know my birthday gift. Thank you again, Raven."

"You're welcome," Raven replied before going into his room and shutting the door. He would just read his manual until he fell asleep,

probably. Well, that, and check to see if/when a certain new wizard would be added.


	3. Chapter 3

After assembling his watch, Mason put it on. It felt warm on his wrist, which was weird because it was metal. With a shrug, Mason pulled out the pen and pad, and wrote in his favorite cypher using his cryptic block form. Closing the pad in the way books were meant to be closed, Mason set the pen between the extended front and back flaps. To his delight, the pen stayed, magnetized to the book. "Awesome," he said aloud.

Checking out the remaining items, Mason set the glasses on his nose and behind his hears. With that done, he fitted the earpiece around his ear-it was a comfortable fit with the glasses. As Mason turned his head, he noticed flashes on both sides of him. *What the?* Mason thought. He took a closer look and realized that his shades had mirrors on the outside edges behind each lense.

What was left were two walkie-talkiees and a... rock? *Well, that's interesting.* Mason's eyes traced back to the walkie talkies. He'd already decided that Raven would have the second one. As if he feared the rock would break, he gently picked it up. It, too, was warm. He checked to see if it would open, or had any wires or circutry. Nope. It was... a puzzle, Mason decided.

That was everything. It was slightly disappointing. For such a big-name item, it didn't seem all that different from any other spy sets. *Well, except for the rock.* "Hmmm." There weren't any instructions, so Mason pulled out his personal computer and decided to check the set's listing and see what others had to say.

After half an hour, Mason gave up. There was nothing anywhere about the Wardens Ultiute. He tried spelling out ultimate and utility, but still nothing. Mason found Ultitech, but that set was different. And he had been hopefull, too. *Oh, well. There's always my imagination,* Mason thought to himself.

About to finish for the night, Mason carefully set the rock back in its place. He still didn't know its story. Next, he pickeed up the pen and notebook and got comfy on the couch. A spy plot idea just popped into his head and Mason wanted to write it down. *At least this is good for something.* But the pen wouldn't come out. When he clicked the pen on, the ballpoint wouldn't even come out. For a second, nothing happened. Then from his earpiece, a voice spoke: "Password?"

"I don't have one," Mason almost growled. The voicee on the earpiece repeated itself, and Mason realized the thing must not have heard him. He pulled out the mouthpiece and set it at the corner of his lips. "I have not set a password," he said more calmly.

"Begin setup?"

"Yes."

It seemed like the thing wanted to know *everything* about him. What he liked or didn't. The routine of his day. His family history and birthday, which he hesitated on. It it started asking for his social security number or credit card, he would stop, knowing he'd been duped. But it didn't ask about any numbers the government gave him. So Mason relaxed. Finally it asked him to make a master password whereby all other passwords, if any, could be set, reset, or deset.

After confirming the master password, Mason was asked if he would like to set passwords for any of the items in the spy set. "Not at this time." The earpiece instructed him to open the pen and notebook by holding the button of the pen down, and saying the master password. Just like that, Mason had the notebook open, and finally realized there weren't any pages, just the covers, and two raised screens that looked like notebook paper. The pen rested against the two edges when the notebook was closed. *Interesting.* "But where's what I have written?"

"Saved. Retrieve?"

"Well, yes, please? I wasn't done with it, yet."

"Understood."

Mason blinked. There was his writing. Good. He proceeded to list the alphabet and numbers down the side and middle of the page so that there were two alternating columns of thirteen letters and five numbers. He then proceeded to write what each character matched which symbol in the above block cryptic box form. When he was done, he told... the mouth- and ear-piece.

"Processing. Understood."

"Can you write to me in my cypher?" He asked, curious. "What are you about?" The book told him that it (the spy set) was created as a tool. Since it wasn't wordy, Mason mauled over the words. "Are you my tool?" He received the reply:

"If you want me to be."

"Oh, yes," Mason told it, not feeling strange at all to be talkig to a thing. "Were you following me in the store today?"

"Yes," the spy set told him. "You were in a wizard store, yet you are not a wizard. I, well, felt this urge to go to you. I can't describe it, really."

Mason felt excited when he read and heard those words. *Yes, that must be it.* "Tell me about wizardry, and show me the text in the notebook using my cypher. And its okay to say and write different things at once. I can multitask." Time passed in which he kind of tranced out, listening to the voice, eyes hungrily reading until he got to the end, and the earpiece had stopped speaking. "How do I become one?"

"All you need to do is take the Wizard's Oath and follow it."

*Of course,* Mason thought again and nodded. "Show it to me, please."

"Yes."

And with that, the Oath appeared on the notebook.


	4. Chapter 4

In Life's name and for Life's sake, I assert that I will employ

the Art which is its gift in Life's service alone, rejecting all

other usages. I will guard growth and ease pain. I will fight to

preserve what grows and lives well in its own way; and I will

change no object or creature unless its growth and life, or that

of the system of which it is part, are threatened. To these

ends, in the practice of my Art, I will put aside fear for

courage, and death for life, when it is right to do so - till

Universe's end. I will look always toward the Heart of Time,

where all times are one, where all our sundered worlds lie

whole, as they were meant to be.

* * *

~Diane Duane,  
Wizard's Oath,  
_So You Want To Be A Wizard._

* * *

Author's Note:

To the best of my knowledge, this is the Wizard's Oath._  
_

If you see any errors, please do not hesitate to let me know.

I would greatly appreciate it; and thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

Mason read through it once. Then he started to say it out loud. For once, everything was silent, and Mason could feel-everything-

listening, their energies seemed to lean in toward the young boy. When he finished, Mason said thanks, though not quite sure why. It

just seemed like the right thing to do.

"You're welcome," the voice said in his ear.

A grin spread across Mason'slips, and now he knew why Raven was happy-most of the time. "With great power comes great

responsibility," he said softly. Mason wondered if spiderman was a wizard. "What do I do, now," he wondered aloud.

"If I might suggest," the spy set, aka wizard's manual, replied via the earpiece.

"Go on," Mason said excitedly.

"You have a thing for language. Would you like to learn the Wizarding Speech?"

"Oh, please," responded Mason. Through the night until morning, Mason studied as if he were going to have an exam on the Speech,

though it certainly wasn't an ardruous task.

Raven grinned when he saw Mason's name finally appear in the local wizard listing. "All right," he cheered, happy for his friend. It

had just turned midnight and, while there were no classes tomorrow, he was still sleepy. So Raven read until his eyes closed, hi

Wizard's Manual (that used to be a navigator) laying on his chest. And, for once, Raven didn't have to worry about hiding it or

turning it off.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Raven went into the kitchen to make breakfast. He decided to let Mason continue sleeping on the couch until he plated food for them both. As his weight settled onto the couch, his rommate jerked awake.

"Who, where?" Mason covered his eyes with his hand until they adjusted to the light. "Raven?" The younger boy looked at his watch. *Oh, heck.* The words ran through his mind as he jumped up and grabbed his bookbag and schoolbooks.

"Mason, relax," Raven smirked at his panicking friend. "It's sunday."

"Oh, thank goodness. I feel like I've been hit by a train, and I'm so not ready to face Professor De'Marr. He's sure to have failed me on that last test."

"Computer sciences?" Raven quirked an eyebrow. "Dude, I'm harsher than he is."

Mason started to relax and sat back into the couch. That caused the sunglasses to fall into his face from where they perched on his head. "Speaking of which..."

But before Mason could finish that though, Raven shoved one of the plates of food onto his roommate's lap. He knew that Mason wouldn't be himself until he'd eaten. That's how it always was when Mason stayed up all night studying. "Speaking of which," Raven repeated Mason's words, "Congratulations."

"For what?" Mason had no idea what his friend was talking about. "Turning thirteen?"

"No, silly. For taking the Wizard's Oath." Raven grinned at Mason's shocked look. "You're wondering how I know." It was more a statement than a question. The other boy nodded. "Wizarding manuals have a directory of local wiards and area Seniors."

He knew that word. In fact, he'd read it the night before. Or... early this morning, as the case may be. Mason had experimented with his spy set, aka Wizard's Manual, and found out a lot about its functions. "Display local wizards, please," he said, having already pulled down the mouthpiece.

"Working."

By this time, Raven had taken out his own manual that used to be a car navigation system. The older roommate tapped a seemingly random pattern on the face and a listing appeared. It was sorted first by personally known and unknown wizards, then by location, and lastly by surname, though he can also sort by first name, or change any other options, by tapping on different areas of the screen.

Meanwhile, Mason's quote, unquote, rock appeared in the younger boy's hand. A cone of light came from the top of the rock to land on the ceiling. Raven was shocked to see a map projection when Mason pointed the rock's top to the blank wall, the map followed and righted itself. Pinpoints, some moving, some still, indicated wizards. Mason demonstrated his own sorting system-name only, adding another pinpoint for homes, with the ability to see one or the other-or both, and if both, lines could connect all wizards to their homes, or specified wizards.

"Wow," Raven breathed. "That rocks." Then he paused, facepalmed, and told Mason and Mason's wizarding manual, "No offense."

Mason laughed, then relayed to his friend that his manual said not to worry.

"So," Raven trailed off. "Did you try any spells, yet?"

"Not yet," replied Mason. "I mostly did some reading. Did you know that everything can understand the speech?" Raven nodded. "But yesterday, you took me to that place, and spoke to the doorknob." Again, Raven nodded. "So how come I didn't know what the heck you were saying?"

"Well, first," Raven began. "The planet Earth is _, meaning that normal people don't know about wizards. So, unless the speaker wants them to understand, they won't."

"Ahhh." Mason nodded to show he understood, until the last part. "Wait-you didn't want me to understand?"

"It's not that, exactly. Wizards have to stay u=hidden, unknown by other humans of what they really are." Seeing Mason's questioning look, Raven continued, "Or they become persecuted. LIke with the Salem witch trials."

"That makes sense," Mason admitted.

Just then, Mason's earpiece cut in. "Message for you."

"Display said message on rock, in english. Replace the local wizard listing."

Raven looked on with interest. That sounded more like spy talk than the more familiar words he and his navigator communicated with. When he first got his manual, Raven set it up so that it would beep or use a ringtone to distinguish incoming and outgoing information.

The message on the wall read, "I don't have time to put you through your paces."

Mason turned to Raven, a startled look on his face. "I don't get it. What does that even mean?"

His roommate looked just as mystefied. "I have no idea." At Mason's crestfallen look, he continued: "But I know someone who might have a clue. They are Area Seniors, now, though they've been through and done amazing things."

As Raven was answering, he began writing on the ground with what used to be a stylus for his navigator. The written form of the Speech glowed in the tip's wake. "Now, I just need your name-as it's written in the Speech."

With a grin, Mason presented the face of his spy notebook. He was surprised to note that he could read the words of the transport spell fluently. When he had vowed to start learning languages, this wasn't quite what he had in mind. But it was better.

While his name was written, he made sure to have every piece of his spy set-er... wizard's manual with him. Mason dropped the shades onto his eyes, pressing the earpiece more snug into his ear, and retracted the mouthpiece back into the earpiece. His pen and notepad fit into his wide, deep pocket, the rock nestled in his other, his movements made light reflect off his watch. "Oh, Raven?"

"Yes?" The older boy had finished writing Mason's name. Just as Raven turned towards his friend, his eyes widened. He'd almost got hit with something. Leaning back, he heard Mason say, "This is for you." So, taking the object in his hands, Raven saw it looked like "a phone?"

"No, silly. It's a walkie-talkie. I'll explain how it works, later.

"I know how to use a walkie talkie." Raven wanted to facepalm.

"Okay, well, this has some modifications. Just don't go touching any buttons."

"Ah." He decided to humor Mason. "Well, come over here and make sure I did your name right. I'd hate for you to come out different on the other side, just because I wrote it wrong."

Inspecting his name, Mason suppressed a shudder. It would be very bad if it were written incorrectly. He learned through his reading that thee Speech described something so completely that it *was* the thing's identity. Written or spoken wrong, the thing itself was altered. 


End file.
